Showing posts with label pulled pork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pulled pork. Show all posts

31.5.12

Balsamic Pulled Pork Sandwiches


Wow! I am finally getting another blog post up. Feels like forever! Sorry about that folks. But I'll make up for it with this amazing recipe Balsamic Pulled Pork. Its spectacular. It was supposed to be balsamic honey pulled pork, but funny thing - my "well stocked" pantry did not contain an ounce of honey. HAHA whoops! So, I did without and this recipe was still great. Make it this weeked - you'll love it because its one of those slow cooker recipes where you just throw it all in and walk away (well, until the last hour any way, then it takes a little bit of effort, what with making the sauce and all). But it is honestly worth the little bit of effort. I promise!


Balsamic Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:
  • 1 3lb boneless pork shoulder roast
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tbsp each ground cumin and smoked paprika
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup garlic bbq sauce
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 fresh buns
  • coleslaw and pickles to garnish, if desired
Method:
  1. Rub pork roast all over with cumin and smoked paprika. Set aside. Place chopped onion on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pork roast on top of onion and slowly pour over 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 5 hours.
  2. During the last half hour of cooking, make the sauce. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, vinegar, ketchup, bbq sauce, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, garlic and pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly. Taste sauce, if sauce is too vinegary, add more chicken stock.
  3. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred. Remove juice and onions from the bottom of the slow cooker and place shredded pork back in the slow cooker.  Pour sauce over and stir to combine. Replace lid and cook on low for one hour.
  4. Top buns with pulled pork, coleslaw and pickles. Enjoy!


This was unbelievably good! I love pulled pork, but this one was just over the top. I made these potato buns - stay tuned - I will post the recipe soon. :) Also coming up - details and a recipe from my most recent cooking class at Well Seasoned and the Crazy Cooking Challenge. Hope to see you soon!


Happy Cooking my Friends!

28.12.11

Apple Cider Pork Chop Sammies with Apple Slaw


Yesterday I finally had the chance got motivated enough to go around and check out some of the Secret Recipe Club Group C reveals from the December reveal. Wow! There were some great posts - what a talented group of people. Some of my favorites were Saltine Cracker Toffee over at Allie's Clean Plate Club, Salmon Creme at the Kitchen Witch Blog, and the Chocolate Peppermint Brownie at Foodness Gracious. But I think my absolute favorite of the bunch was the Apple Cider Pork Chop Sammies with Apple Slaw over at Cookin with Moxie, in fact, I was so excited about these "sammies" that I just had to make them last night for dinner!

It was sooooo worth it! The house smelled amazing, they were quite easy, but the only thing they weren't was quick. The key to the deliciousness of these sammies is the slow simmering of the pork chops. I tweaked the recipe a bit, and I think I will tweak it a bit more next time I make it (because there will most definitely be a next time when I'm through with all these turkey leftovers!!). Here is the recipe, because I can tell you're dying to give it a try. I've noted the changes (though there aren't many) that I will make next time I make it in blue.

Apple Cider Pork Chop Sammies
Recipe adapted from Cookin' with Moxie

Ingredients:
  •  3 lbs pork chops (next time I will use a pork roast and cut into thick pieces)
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups apple cider
  • 1 bottle dark beer (I used Dead Frog Brewery's Nut Brown Ale)
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 6 sandwich buns
  • 1 cup light mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp celery salt
  • 1/2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
  • 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 bag prepared coleslaw mix
  • 3 granny smith apples, shredded
  • BBQ sauce
Method:
  1. Sprinkle pork generously on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large heavy bottomed, deep skillet, over medium high heat, add the olive oil and sear the chops on all sides. Remove to a plate while searing batches of the pork until all pork has been browned (work in batches to prevent over crowding the pan - overcrowding the pan results in decreasing the temperature of the pan and then boiling your pork instead of searing. We want to sear to ensure that we develop those delicious caremlization flavours!!).
  2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions. Sweat for five minutes, then add the garlic and sweat for five more minutes. Deglaze the pan with the apple cider and the beer. Scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add pork chops and any juices that have accumulated back to the pan. Add the thyme. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the pork is falling apart. Remove the pork from the liquid with a slotted spoon and shred with two forks.
  3. While the pork is cooking, make the coleslaw. Whisk together the mayo, cider vinegar, celery salt, and both mustards. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Add coleslaw mix and shredded apples. Toss thoroughly.
  4. To assemble the sammies, place a generous scoop of coleslaw on one side of the bun, place a generous scoop of the shredded pork on the other side of the bun. Then drizzle the pork side of the bun generously with your favorite bbq sauce. Enjoy a sloppy, but delicious dinner!
So, pretty easy, just takes a bit of time. Make this one on a weekend or better yet, make it while you're still on Christmas vacation! :)

Happy Cooking my Friends!